55th Anniversary Full Moon Tribute to Apollo 11’s Historic Lunar Landing: How to Celebrate with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s Legacy

San Diego, California is gearing up for a celestial celebration this weekend as the 55th anniversary of the first lunar landing coincides with a full moon. The last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, will headline a gala at the San Diego Air and Space Museum on Saturday night. Joined by astronaut Charlie Duke, the event will honor the historic moment that took place on July 20, 1969. Museum President Jim Kidrick described the occasion as a tribute to one of the most significant moments in American and world history.

For those unable to attend the San Diego event, there are numerous other ways to commemorate the moon landing anniversary. The new film “Fly Me to the Moon,” starring Scarlett Johansson, offers a lighthearted look back at the historic event. Additionally, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum has put together a special website dedicated to all things Apollo 11. And for skywatchers, the full moon on Saturday night into Sunday morning offers a perfect opportunity to reflect on this monumental achievement.

NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is hosting a moon fest in honor of the Apollo 11 mission, just a few miles from where the Saturn V rocket launched with Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins onboard. Houston’s Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control, is also joining in the celebration. Armstrong’s famous words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” still resonate as a powerful symbol of human achievement as he became the first person to set foot on the moon.

Aldrin’s declaration of “Magnificent desolation” captured the haunting beauty of the lunar landscape as he and Armstrong spent over two hours exploring the moon’s surface. The Apollo 11 astronauts, along with Collins, returned safely to Earth, but their spacesuits and other artifacts remain on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Unfortunately, Collins passed away in 2021, followed by Armstrong in 2012, leaving behind a lasting legacy of their historic mission.

The Apollo 11 crew’s splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, marked the successful completion of their mission. They were picked up by the USS Hornet aircraft carrier and immediately quarantined to prevent the spread of any potential moon germs. The recovery crew will gather aboard the Hornet for a splashdown party this Saturday to commemorate the event. The Apollo program ultimately saw 12 astronauts land on the moon between 1969 and 1972.

Looking to the future, NASA’s Artemis program aims to send astronauts back to the moon, with plans for a lunar flyaround next year. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is set to arrive at Kennedy Space Center for this mission, paving the way for a new era of space exploration and discovery.